Issues & Policy

Issues & Policy

The only membership organization representing all music creators (and no company members), the Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Through advocacy, education, and dialogue, the Recording Academy protects music creators’ rights and advances their interests on important music policy matters.

From maintaining funding for the arts and music education to supporting independent music creators, learn more about the key music advocacy issues the Recording Academy works on with the music community and lawmakers, including issues specific to performers, songwriters, and studio professionals:

KEY ISSUES:

For decades, the Recording Academy has championed modernizing outdated music policy and creating a comprehensive music licensing reform to benefit all music creators—a call an array of industry stakeholders and music creators followed.

Congress listened too, and held a hearing during GRAMMY Week in January of 2018. On April 25, 2018, one week after GRAMMYs on the Hill, Rep. Bob Goodlatte brought a comprehensive bill on the House floor called the Music Modernization Act, which included provisions to improve compensation for songwriters, help pre-1972 legacy artists get paid by music streaming services, and recognize producers and engineers in music copyright protection. The bill was unanimously passed by the House. Months later on September 19, 2018, the Act was also passed unanimously by the Senate.

The historic bill known as the Orrin G. Hatch–Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act (aka Music Modernization Act) was signed into law on October 11, 2018. Recording Academy members played a critical role through their tireless music advocacy efforts and during the legislative process.

Establish a Public Performance Right for Radio

Congress should support bipartisan and common-sense music policy efforts to establish a public performance right for artists on terrestrial (AM/FM) radio. Traditional AM/FM radio is the only music platform that broadcasts music without paying royalties to the performers and producers who create it. Radio, which reaps billions in advertising revenues by exploiting music, is the only industry in America that uses the intellectual property of others without permission or compensation. Learn more about establishing a public performance right for sound recordings.

Latest Status: House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler and Ranking Member Doug Collins penned a Dear Colleague letter stating their intentions to solve the issue of performance rights for artists in the 116th Congress. (April, 2019)

Modernizing the Outdated ASCAP/BMI Consent Decrees

The Recording Academy has long supported music policy reform efforts to modernize the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees that have regulated songwriter compensation since the 1940s. The Recording Academy believes that the consent decrees have failed to keep pace with the evolution in the music ecosystem, and now benefit the world’s largest and most profitable companies at the expense of fair market pay for individual songwriters.

Latest Status: The Department of Justice announced its intentions to take a modern look at the ASCAP and BMI consent decrees governing songwriter compensation. The Recording Academy submitted comments to help ensure these creators are properly paid when their work is played in public. (August, 2019)

CASE Act - Support Independent Music Creators

Copyright protection is a constitutional right for all creators, including independent artists and songwriters who don’t have the unlimited resources to protect their work against infringement.

The CASE Act (H.R. 3945/S. 1273) establishes a small claims court for copyright cases as an optional alternative to cost-prohibitive and time-extensive federal litigation. The Recording Academy supports the CASE Act within its music advocacy efforts.

Maintain Funding for the Arts and Arts Education

Congress should fund the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and support music education in any end-of-year spending bill, and work with the creative community to increase funding for Fiscal Year 2020.

Congress needs to continue its strong bipartisan support for funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and music education programs.

91 percent of Americans support funding for music education programs, and the NEA has proven to be popular and cost effective—raising $9 in outside matching funds for every $1 spent. Congress should also fully fund the following programs that support music and arts education:

Assistance for Arts Education

21st Century Community Learning Centers

Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants

Latest Status: The House of Representatives passed the NEA budget with $165 million. Senate approval is pending vote. (June, 2019)

Protect Creators in Trade Agreements

As the United States negotiates and ratiﬁes new trade agreements, Congress should use its authority to ensure that robust intellectual property provisions beneﬁt music creators in all decisions that impact music creators’ rights.

At a minimum, copyright protection should not be weakened through trade deals.

Congress must work with the copyright community on needed changes to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and any future multilateral or bilateral agreements.

Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.